Moments
by li-flower
Summary: In a moment, heroes are born from unlikely individuals. In another moment, we discover that they're not so different from the rest of us. A collection of vignettes of your favorite heroes and villains .
1. Claire's Crush

**Summary: **In the Petrelli mansion, Claire faces some embarrassing (and very strange) feelings from the past.

**A/N: **I've been wanting to write a _Heroes_ fic after watching the season finale. Claire was definitely the character I had in mind because I can see things from her POV. However, I actually relate more to Peter. Anyway, when I finally got around to actually writing something, I decided to give myself a challenge by limiting the number of words. There's 200 in this one. Hopefully by the end of this collection, I'll be able to cut down to 100, but it all depends on the subject. Speaking of which, I came up with this as a way to reconcile the my support of Paire early in the season and the total change in opinion after it was revealed that Nathan was her father (incest never ends well..._ Angel Sanctuary _anybody?). -- Hana Li

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**Crush**

Claire Bennet should be worrying about more important things, but she kept thinking about her crush on the person who turned out to be her uncle. She prayed he'd never find out.

_Like it wasn't obvious when I called him my hero, _she thought._ I might as well have thrown myself into his arms. _

Well, he did save her life, and he was unlike anybody she ever met. Peter Petrelli was the kind of guy who could sweep a girl off her feet. She had felt a pang of jealousy when he asked about Jackie. For once, she regretted not taking credit for her actions.

It didn't matter in the end. They had a connection.

The days following homecoming, Claire dreamt about what would happen if her rescuer came back to sweep her off her feet. She imagined what her first kiss would've been like had Brody not stolen it. Peter would have made it absolutely perfect.

_Ew, I can't believe I felt that way towards my uncle. _

But as much as Claire wanted to forget, there was one thing she couldn't deny. Even if Peter Petrelli couldn't be her knight in shining armor, he was still totally her hero.


	2. Isaac's Redemption

**Summary: **In his last moments, Isaac Mendez finally finds the inner peace that he tried so hard to obtain.

**A/N: **Man, I'm on a roll. Writing these is keeping me from going crazy waiting for the second season. I came very close to making this a drabble, but I decided that 200 words was better. Isaac deserves it anyway. I guess I've always felt more sympathetic towards him than others (or my friends who watch _Heroes_). There's something about the tortured artist character that always gets to me, and I'm really glad that Isaac got to redeem himself in the end. Anyway, this might be the last fic I post for a while, as classes start next Monday, but who knows when inspiration may strike again? -- Hana Li

**Disclaimer: **Since I forgot to add it last time, let me emphasize that I do not own any part of _Heroes_. It is the brilliant creation of Tim Kring.

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**Redemption**

Isaac Mendez knew, without resorting to his precognitive abilities, that he would die at a young age. However, he thought heroine would be his killer, not a psycho who cuts people's skulls open. The visions frightened him at first, but gradually he accepted his fate. It gave him a sense of peace.

He didn't see it as resignation because he would die for a purpose. Instead of becoming another statistic used in drug education programs, he would die for his art, for his gift. Even if he didn't save the world, others would—others he helped, like Hiro Nakamura and Peter Petrelli. Sacrifices were sometimes necessary.

He thought of this as he tried to ignore the pain of being impaled by his paint brushes. What a sight it must've been. Too bad it never appeared on canvas. It was macabre and ironic enough to be a masterpiece.

Isaac knew that he was far from a saint. He regretted hurting his loved ones, but hopefully his last act would make up for some of his sins. Whatever the afterlife had in store for him, at least he finally got to be a hero. And that was enough to give him hope.


	3. Nathan's Doubt

**Summary: **Nathan Petrelli tries to convince himself that he's not a villain.

**A/N: **I've got it down to 150 words now. We'll see if this word limit sticks with some of the other characters I have in mind. It was hard to get Nathan's perspective down (my brother is the Nathan to my Peter ), which maybe why this is shorter than the previous two. My ficlet collection appears to have adopted a theme. That is, they've all been inspired by a line in the series. Ah, I've created another challenge for myself, or rather I've added another rule to this collection. Anyway, enjoy! -- Hana Li

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _Heroes _or any of its characters.

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**Doubt**

Nathan Petrelli had good intentions. Perhaps he didn't always take the most righteous path, but the ends justified the means. He wasn't perfect, and he made mistakes that he wished he could take back. However, he was a forward-looking man.

Unlike Peter, who didn't know what was best for him. He was reckless and irresponsible, and like an older brother should, Nathan kept an eye on him. There was Heidi and the boys to look out for as well. With Claire Bennet in the mix, it got complicated. Now he barely had time to focus on his career.

Although he derided Peter's fanaticism about saving the world, he had the same goal. He wanted that congressional seat so that he could help many people at once. Protecting his family came first though. He was willing to sacrifice anything for his loved ones, for their future. Even if it made him a villain in the eyes of some.

Nathan looked at his reflection. "You're a good man," he told himself.

But even he doubted those words.


	4. Peter's Greatness

**Summary: **Save the cheerleader, save the world. Those six words made an ordinary guy so much more.

**A/N: **Yay, I've gone down to 100 words. I'm not completely satified though because this felt a bit rushed. I just had to write about Peter though, especially with the new episodes. Plus my friends and I have been talking Shakespeare recently (since we're looking for directors for our spring play). Malvolio's famous quote just applied to Peter so much that I had to write something.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Heroes. _Otherwise, Peter Petrelli would be all mine.

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**Greatness**

"Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them." – Malvolio, _Twelfth Night_

Peter Petrelli had always been average. At school, he was neither popular enough to be known by everyone nor uncool enough to get picked on. He just faded into the background, in the shadows. He didn't have any outstanding accomplishments, and he didn't really try to garner attention. However, in the eyes of his mother, he was much more than average.

Now he knew what she saw. He wasn't meant to fade into obscurity; he was meant to do great things. Peter didn't know how he would go about changing the world, but he wasn't about to resist his destiny.


	5. Niki's Pretending

**Summary: **When she started stripping, Niki told herself to pretend to be someone else, but was it really pretending?

**A/N: **I actually had written this a few weeks ago, but I've been so busy with classes wrapping up and getting ready for the holiday seasons. Although there's finals (well, more papers than exams) to worry about, I decided to take a break now that I'm officially done with classes. I'd like to thank Cristi and justawritier for their reviews. Hopefully I can move onto the 2nd season really soon. - Hana

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _Heroes. _If I did, they wouldn't be facing the problems of the writers' strike. (I know the writers deserve more money than they probably get paid, but I want my TV!)

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**Pretending**

Niki Sanders was nervous. She tried to remind herself that she was alone, but she knew they were watching. On the other side of the camera, they were watching her take off her clothes. The job's voyeuristic nature made her uneasy. However, there was not much else she could do. She needed money for Micah, and this was better than some sleazy strip joint. "Don't think about it," she told herself. "Pretend you're someone else."

And she did. The dress fell to her feet, and it was like Niki wasn't even there.

When she was given instructions to seduce Nathan Petrelli, she told herself the same thing. All she remembered was waiting for the elevator.

Sometimes she wondered who the real Niki Sanders was, and what she was capable of.


	6. Sylar's Mother

**Summary: **Every boy desires a mother's love. Sylar is no different, but has Angela Petrelli been the ideal mother?

**A/N**: Oh my gosh, this new season of Heroes has been amazing! It's definitely more inspiring thanSeason 2. Ihave been particularly impressed with Sylar. I want to believe that he is changing for good (because now I've got a crush on him). However, there's the lingering thought in the back of my mind that keeps me suspicious. What if he's just playing along to get what he wants? I want to believe you, Sylar, so don't disappointment me (but stay badass)!

Thanks to Cristi and justawritier for the reviews! You guys are partly why I keep coming up with these drabbles. - Hana Li

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Heroes or the song "Mother".

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Mother**

"Mother,  
Can you keep them in the dark for life?  
Can you hide them from the waiting world?" - "Mother" by Danzig

_"I should have never given you up for adoption."_

Angela Petrelli's words rang through Sylar's mind. He was special. One of a kind. And his mother treasured that.

He wasn't just another son with powers; she believed in his greatness. Her eyes didn't see a monster. She knew about his hunger, his need for understanding. She understood.

One thought, however, remained in the back of his mind. Why did his mother give him up for adoption in the first place? Did she truly love him?

When the time came—_if_ the time came, he would take the answers from her.


	7. Peter's Gamble

**Summary: **Even with the odds against him, Peter was willing to risk everything to save the world.

**A/N: **Peter Petrelli, in my opinion, has been stupid in the past few episodes—both future and present day versions. However, if I were in his position, I'd probably do the same things. Also, I think Future Peter is full aware of the fact that despite having a plan to change the future, he's ultimately leaving it up to chance. It's a reckless move, but that's Peter for you. -- Hana Li

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Heroes_ or _Battlestar Galactica_ though I wish I did (then BSG wouldn't have to end).

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**Gamble**

"Sometimes you gotta roll the hard six." – Admiral William Adama, _Battlestar Galactica_

Peter Petrelli always understood that time travel was a dangerous power. Who knew what effect just moving an object out of place or speaking to another person would have? The future could turn out to be worse with one misstep.

It was a gamble he needed to make. He had to believe that any other fate would be better than the present, that he could fix his past mistakes. He had to fight for the possibility of a better future.

If a couple butterflies had to die in the process, then so be it. The repercussions would be dealt with later.


	8. Mohinder's Knowledge

**Summary: **The scientist in Mohinder needed to why.  Something else in him wanted more.

**A/N:** This is not my favorite drabble because I think I tried to do too much. Blame the geneticist in me trying to rationalize Mohinder's behavior. I understand his desire to get the answer not matter what. I also wanted to compare him to Sylar a bit because his desire for powers is like Sylar's need to feel "special" That's where I was going with the part about being a "monster." Lastly, I don't know if I overdid the Biblical allusion, but I thought it was appropriate with the "knowledge is power, but power corrupts" theme. – Hana Li

**Disclaimer: **I don't own the formula for these mutant abilities. Nor anything else related to _Heroes_.

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**Knowledge**

"But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." - Old Testament, Genesis 2:16-17

The scientist in Mohinder Suresh would stop at nothing to find the key to his friends' abilities. He hungered for the truth, and he was so close to it that he could taste it.

It was true that he wanted a chance to be special, but he became his own test subject mainly because there were no others.

He knew that he was veering into dangerous territory, meddling in God's work. Nevertheless, the temptation had been presented to him.

And he was too willing to take a bite.

That, not his newly-acquired abilities or animalistic hunger, made him a monster.

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**A/N2: **It occurred to me, as I was looking of this, that I might be making a prediction with the quote I selected. We already know that knowledge in the form of the formula has the power to destroy mankind, but I wonder if the consequences Monhinder faces are more severe than just mutating into a hideous monster.


	9. Claire's Violation

**Summary: **Claire learns that some wounds aren't so easy to heal.

**A/N: **I finally got around to Red One1223's suggestion on a Claire drabble based on the early events of _Villains_. It took me a while because I wanted to approach this very delicately. This was written before the Season 3 finale so I had no clue that there would be further creepiness from Sylar. Then again, his relationship with Claire had always been a disturbing one. Anyway, many thanks to Red On1223 for giving me a challenge. I dedicate this to anyone who has ever felt violated. -- Hana Li

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Heroes or "Leda and the Swan".

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**Violation**

"Being so caught up,  
So mastered by the brute blood of the air,  
Did she put on his knowledge with his power  
Before the indifferent beak could let her drop?"  
- "Leda and the Swan" by William Butler Yeats

She lost. After two years of eluding Sylar, Claire Bennet had been captured. That should've been the end.

But she survived. Her ability, which she always considered to be a gift, cursed her into life.

Now she had to live with the pain—the humiliation, as he pinned her to the table and explored untouched realms. He poked and prodded through the folds of her cerebrum. Every secret, even ones that she didn't know, laid exposed to him.

_It's not like he raped you_, she told herself.

No, rape would have been much easier to handle. This was much worse.


End file.
